vest
Definitions
A sleeveless garment worn on the upper body (a waistcoat in British English; an undershirt in American English)
背心，马甲（英式指西装马甲，美式指贴身汗衫）
To give someone official power, rights, or property (usually: vest something in someone / vest someone with something)
授予（权力、权利、财产）；归属于
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedStraight from Latin vestis (garment). The noun is the literal sense: a thing you wear. The verb keeps the ceremonial idea inside invest — to vest power in someone is to 'clothe' them in authority, as a king once robed an official into office.
Root vest_garment still carries 6 more wordsWhy It Means This
The two senses look unrelated until you remember the root means 'to clothe.' The garment is the obvious child. The verb 'to vest' is the same act made abstract: authority, like a robe, is placed on a person. That is why legal English says 'power is vested in the court' — the power is, so to speak, worn by it.
Usage Guide
- Garment (everyday): note the BrE/AmE split — a British vest is an undershirt, an American vest is what Brits call a waistcoat. The padded outdoor kind is a vest in both (a down vest).
- Authority (formal/legal only): vest power in someone, or vest someone with rights. Common in constitutions and contracts; you would not use this sense casually.
Example Sentences
- 1.
He wore a gray vest over his white shirt.
- 2.
Firefighters put on heavy protective vests before entering.
- 3.
The constitution vests legislative power in the parliament.
- 4.
Full ownership of the shares vests after four years.